Stress in the Workplace

One of the most common causes of long-term absence from work or resignation on health grounds is now believed to be stress. There are many stress triggers encountered both at home and at work and these can lead to illness of varying severity. Some people may only experience relatively minor symptoms whereas, for others, the illness can be much more severe.

An increasing number of employers are recognising the impact stress has on the productivity and performance of their workforce and are now adopting a range of techniques and strategies to help both prevent and reduce incidence of stress within their organisation.

What causes stress?

Everybody has a different way of handling stress – some people cope very easily with stress triggers whereas others may find even the slightest obstacle difficult to overcome. Stress is a medical condition and should therefore never be considered to be a sign of weakness. If you are suffering from stress, you should also never compare your symptoms to those of other people; this can give an inaccurate representation of the severity of the condition and can also help to increase stress levels by suggesting that you are not managing the condition as well as your peers.

Stress is an almost unavoidable aspect of the majority of jobs and, whereas some stress can actually increase motivation and therefore enhance performance, too much stress can have completely the reverse effect. Positive stress can be induced by being set realistic targets and through the development of positive relationships with managers and peers. There are also a great number of factors which could influence negative stress and these include:

Lack of understanding of job role
Insecurity and inflexibility at work
Feeling unappreciated with poor management support
Unacceptable working conditions
Workplace change
Conflict situations, bullying and harassment
Sudden reduction in responsibility

Physical effects of stress

The most common physical effects of stress include: weight loss/gain or digestive problems; excessive tiredness or insomnia; crying and panic attacks; headaches.

Mental symptoms of stress

These can vary in severity but commonly include: irritability; apathy; lack of concentration; rapid mood swings; anger; anxiety.

Combating workplace stress

Arguably the most effective way of dealing with stress in the workplace is to ensure that any physical or mental symptoms are identified as soon as possible. This should help to reduce the likelihood of more serious symptoms developing. Managers can undertake training courses designed specifically to help them identify the early stages of stress and to encourage them to adopt an open management style which will ensure that employees feel comfortable discussing concerns or problems before they become more serious.

Employers can actually reduce stress triggers by analysing and reviewing existing policies, systems and procedures, and by providing their staff with training courses on effective stress management.

Preventing stress

At the slightest concern that you are suffering from stress, it is possible to implement lifestyle changes which can help reduce the likelihood of these symptoms developing. Changing your diet and exercising regularly can help, as can stopping smoking and minimising alcohol consumption. It can also be beneficial to seek medical advice.

At work, you can implement further changes such as adopting a positive frame of mind at all times, and organising and prioritising your workload to ensure that the most complex tasks are completed before going on to handle the remainder of the simpler responsibilities. Also, it is important to take regular breaks, to delegate where appropriate and to ask for help whenever you need it.

Stress is now recognised as a very serious illness which is notoriously difficult to manage and overcome. Employers are much more aware of the possible severity of stress and many are more than willing to help those affected by offering support through referrals to doctors or counsellors.

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